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Tong Z, Liu X, Tao Y, Feng P, Luan F, Jie X, Xie Z, Pu F, Xu Z, Wang P. Enhancement of dissolution and oral bioavailability by adjusting microenvironment pH in crocetin ternary solid dispersions: Optimization, characterization, in vitro evaluation, and pharmacokinetics. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2024; 14:1923-1939. [PMID: 38117406 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-023-01497-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The most promising active ingredient of Crocus sativus L., crocetin (CCT), has been demonstrated to possess many biological activities. However, only a few studies have been conducted on CCT formulation, especially in oral formulation, mainly due to its insolubility in water, which limits its application for oral administration. This article reports an equilibrium saturation solubility and single-pass intestinal perfusion studies conducted to classify the biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) of CCT. To enhance in vitro dissolution and in vivo oral bioavailability, ternary solid dispersions of CCT (CCT-SDs) with soluplus (SOL) as hydrophilic carrier and meglumine (MEG) as alkalizer were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) with central composite design (CCD) experiments. Four different preparation methods were evaluated using the optimal formulation, including solvent evaporation, ball milling, spray drying, and freeze-drying. Prepared formulations were characterized by TG-DSC, FTIR, X-RPD, and SEM; the pharmacokinetic studies were performed in rats after oral administration. The cumulative dissolution rate of CCT-SDs containing SOL and MEG prepared by the ball milling method was 97.1% at 15 min and remained at 95.6% at 480 min, which was significantly higher than that of untreated CCT. The lower crystallinity, smaller particle size, and higher microenvironment pH (pHM) were observed in CCT-SDs prepared by the ball milling method. In vivo absorption of CCT-SDs (Cmax = 52.789 ± 12.441 μg/mL and AUC0-12 = 191.748 ± 35.043 μg/mL·h) was greater than untreated CCT (Cmax = 5.918 ± 1.388 μg/mL and AUC0-12 = 44.309 ± 7.264 μg/mL·h). In conclusion, the current study provides ternary solid dispersion formulation of CCT to increase the in vitro dissolution and in vivo bioavailability, which will benefit the commercial production and future clinical applications of CCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheren Tong
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Xianyin Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jiangxi Medical College, Shangrao, 334000, China
| | - Yi Tao
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Peishi Feng
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Fujia Luan
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jiangxi Medical College, Shangrao, 334000, China
| | - Xiaolu Jie
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Zhangfu Xie
- Zhejiang Suichang Liming Pharmaceutical Co., LTD, Suichang, 323300, China
| | - Faxiang Pu
- Zhejiang Suichang Liming Pharmaceutical Co., LTD, Suichang, 323300, China
| | - Zijin Xu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jiangxi Medical College, Shangrao, 334000, China.
| | - Ping Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China.
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Mokhtarian R, Rajabi S, Zahedian S, Jafarinejad-Farsangi S, Hadizadeh M, Sadeghinejad M. The effect of saffron and its extracts on the treatment of breast cancer: A narrative review. ANNALES PHARMACEUTIQUES FRANÇAISES 2024; 82:629-640. [PMID: 38367937 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharma.2024.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent malignancy in women and the second most common disease worldwide, affecting approximately one million individuals annually. Despite the efficacy of conventional chemotherapy, medication resistance and adverse effects limit its effectiveness, leading researchers to explore alternative treatments, including herbal remedies. Saffron, a well-known spice derived from the Crocus sativus L. plant, has shown potential as a BC treatment. The active components of saffron exhibit anti-cancer properties by inducing apoptosis, inhibiting cell division, and modulating signaling pathways implicated in cancer development, such as PI3K/AKT, NF-κB, and MAPK. Clinical findings suggest that saffron can alleviate chemotherapy-induced symptoms, reduce serum tumor marker levels, and enhance quality of life. Preliminary clinical trials are investigating the safety and efficacy of saffron in treating BC, with recent evidence indicating that recommended doses of saffron supplementation are well-tolerated and safe. This review provides an overview of the anti-tumor effects of saffron and its unique chemical composition in BC. However, further research and clinical studies are imperative to fully comprehend the potential of saffron in adjuvant therapy for BC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roya Mokhtarian
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, NourDanesh Institute of Higher Education, Meymeh, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Soodeh Rajabi
- Student Research Committee, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Setareh Zahedian
- Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Saeideh Jafarinejad-Farsangi
- Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
| | - Morteza Hadizadeh
- Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Sadeghinejad
- Department of Kinesiology and Applied Physiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
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Houshyar M, Karimi H, Ghofrani-Jahromi Z, Nouri S, Vaseghi S. Crocin (bioactive compound of Crocus sativus L.) potently restores REM sleep deprivation-induced manic- and obsessive-compulsive-like behaviors in female rats. Behav Pharmacol 2024; 35:239-252. [PMID: 38567447 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep deprivation (SD) can induce manic-like behaviors including hyperlocomotion. On the other hand, crocin (one of the main compounds of Crocus sativus L. or Saffron) may be beneficial in the improvement of mental and cognitive dysfunctions. Also, crocin can restore the deleterious effects of SD on mental and cognitive processes. In this study, we investigated the effect of REM SD on female rats' behaviors including depression- and anxiety-like behaviors, locomotion, pain perception, and obsessive-compulsive-like behavior, and also, the potential effect of crocin on REM SD effects. We used female rats because evidence on the role of REM SD in modulating psychological and behavioral functions of female (but not male) rats is limited. REM SD was induced for 14 days (6h/day), and crocin (25, 50, and 75 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally. Open field test, forced swim test, hot plate test, and marble burying test were used to assess rats' behaviors. The results showed REM SD-induced manic-like behavior (hyperlocomotion). Also, REM SD rats showed decreased anxiety- and depression-like behavior, pain subthreshold (the duration it takes for the rat to feel pain), and showed obsessive compulsive-like behavior. However, crocin at all doses partially or fully reversed REM SD-induced behavioral changes. In conclusion, our results suggested the possible comorbidity of OCD and REM SD-induced manic-like behavior in female rats or the potential role of REM SD in the etiology of OCD, although more studies are needed. In contrast, crocin can be a possible therapeutic choice for decreasing manic-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Houshyar
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr
| | - Hanie Karimi
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran
| | - Zahra Ghofrani-Jahromi
- Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Medicinal Plants Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR
| | - Sarah Nouri
- Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Medicinal Plants Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR
| | - Salar Vaseghi
- Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Medicinal Plants Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR
- Medicinal Plants Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR, Karaj, Iran
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Pourmousavi L, Asadi RH, Zehsaz F, Jadidi RP. Potential therapeutic effects of crocin. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024:10.1007/s00210-024-03131-6. [PMID: 38758225 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-024-03131-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Crocin, a natural bioactive compound derived from saffron (Crocus sativus) and other Crocus genera, has gained significant attention recently due to its potential therapeutic properties. The multifaceted nature of crocin's biological effects has piqued the interest of researchers and health enthusiasts, prompting further investigations into its mechanisms of action and therapeutic applications. This review article comprehensively explores the emerging evidence supporting crocin's role as a promising ally in protecting against metabolic disorders. The review covers the molecular mechanisms underlying crocin's beneficial effects and highlights its potential applications in preventing and treating diverse pathological conditions. Understanding the mechanisms through which crocin exerts its protective effects could advance scientific knowledge and offer potential avenues for developing novel therapeutic interventions. As we uncover the potential of crocin as a valuable ally in the fight against disorders, it becomes evident that nature's palette holds remarkable solutions for enhancing our health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laleh Pourmousavi
- Department of Sport Sciences, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Farzad Zehsaz
- Department of Sport Sciences, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
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Manhas D, Dhiman S, Kour H, Kour D, Sharma K, Wazir P, Vij B, Kumar A, Sawant SD, Ahmed Z, Nandi U. ADME/PK Insights of Crocetin: A Molecule Having an Unusual Chemical Structure with Druglike Features. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:21494-21509. [PMID: 38764638 PMCID: PMC11097163 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c02116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Crocetin is a promising phyto-based molecule to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD). The chemical structure of crocetin is incongruent with various standard structural features of CNS drugs. As poor pharmacokinetic behavior is the major hurdle for any candidate to become a drug, we elucidated its druggable characteristics by implementing in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches, as limited ADME/PK information is available. Results demonstrate several attributes of crocetin based on rules of drug-likeness, lipophilicity, pKa, P-gp inhibitory activity, plasma stability, RBC partitioning, metabolic stability, CYP inhibitory action, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, oral bioavailability, and pharmacokinetic interaction with marketed anti-Alzheimer's drugs (memantine, donepezil, galantamine, and rivastigmine). However, aqueous solubility, chemical stability, plasma protein binding, and P-gp induction are some concerns associated with this molecule that should be taken into consideration during its further development. Overall results indicate favorable ADME/PK behavior and potential druggable candidature of crocetin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diksha Manhas
- Pharmacology
Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative
Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Sumit Dhiman
- Pharmacology
Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative
Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Harpreet Kour
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
- Natural
Products & Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
| | - Dilpreet Kour
- Pharmacology
Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative
Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Kuhu Sharma
- Pharmacology
Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative
Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Priya Wazir
- Pharmacology
Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative
Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
| | - Bhavna Vij
- Pharmacology
Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative
Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
| | - Ajay Kumar
- Pharmacology
Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative
Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Sanghapal D. Sawant
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
- Natural
Products & Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
| | - Zabeer Ahmed
- Pharmacology
Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative
Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Utpal Nandi
- Pharmacology
Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative
Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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Han S, Cao Y, Wu X, Xu J, Nie Z, Qiu Y. New horizons for the study of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and its active ingredients in the management of neurological and psychiatric disorders: A systematic review of clinical evidence and mechanisms. Phytother Res 2024; 38:2276-2302. [PMID: 38424688 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.8110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Saffron (Crocus sativus), as an herbal medicine, has been extensively investigated for treating neurological and psychiatric disorders. This systematic review aimed to assess the overall effects of saffron on cognition, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified by searching PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Clinical Trials databases up to June 2023 according to search terms and inclusion criteria. The participants were either healthy or suffering from some diseases, including neurological and psychiatric disorders, and consumed saffron or its extracts as an intervention. The risk of bias was assessed according to the Cochrane guidelines, and the PRISMA statement was followed. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan and STATA software. A random-effects or fixed-effects model was used to calculate the pooled effect sizes. Forty-six RCTs were enrolled, and the duration of these trials ranged from 4 to 48 weeks with saffron or its extracts, both alone or in combination with conventional drugs. Saffron was more effective than placebo in improving cognition, depression with an overall effect size of -4.26 (95% CI: -5.76, -2.77), anxiety of -3.75 (95% CI: -5.83, -1.67), and sleep disorders of -1.91 (95% CI: -2.88, -0.93). Saffron was non-inferior to conventional drugs for treating cognitive disorders, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and OCD, and it exhibited good tolerance with few side effects. Saffron may exert protective roles for neurological and psychiatric disorders and represents a relatively favorable and safe treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shufen Han
- Department of Nutrition and Toxicology, School of Public Health, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yifei Cao
- Department of Nutrition and Toxicology, School of Public Health, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xingrong Wu
- Male Department of General Psychiatry, Shanxi Provincial Mental Health Center and Taiyuan Psychiatric Hospital, Taiyuan, Shanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaoyang Xu
- Department of Nutrition and Toxicology, School of Public Health, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Zizheng Nie
- Department of Nutrition and Toxicology, School of Public Health, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Qiu
- Department of Nutrition and Toxicology, School of Public Health, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
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Vignault A, Vaysse C, Bertand K, Krisa S, Courtois A, Moras B, Richard T, Gaudout D, Pourtau L. Characterization of Crocetin Isomers in Serum Samples via UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS and NMR after Saffron Extract (Safr'Inside™) Consumption. Metabolites 2024; 14:190. [PMID: 38668318 PMCID: PMC11052503 DOI: 10.3390/metabo14040190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The therapeutic effects of saffron have been reported and described in relation to its major derivatives. Among them, in terms of saffron's properties, crocin and crocetin absorption and bioavailability have been the most studied. Nevertheless, the metabolism of these major compounds of saffron has not yet been entirely elucidated. Current data indicate that the phase 2 metabolism of crocetins go through conjugation reactions. Crocetins could also be present in isomeric forms such as other carotenoids. Nonetheless, there are still shadow areas in regard to the measurements of the different circulating forms of crocetins after oral saffron extract administration (Safr'Inside™). In using various approaches, we propose the identification of a new cis isomeric form of crocetin, the 6-cis-crocetin. This compound was found in human serum samples after an oral administration of saffron extract. The 6-cis-crocetin represents 19% of the total crocetin measured after 45 min of consumption. These data mark, for the first time, the presence of a cis isomeric form of crocetin in human serum samples. Moreover, this study led to the development of an analytical method that is able to identify and quantify both isomeric forms (trans and cis).
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeline Vignault
- Activ’Inside, 33750 Beychac et Caillau, France; (B.M.); (D.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Carole Vaysse
- Nutrition-Health & Lipid Biochemistry Department, ITERG, 33610 Canejan, France; (C.V.); (K.B.)
| | - Karène Bertand
- Nutrition-Health & Lipid Biochemistry Department, ITERG, 33610 Canejan, France; (C.V.); (K.B.)
| | - Stéphanie Krisa
- Bordeaux INP, INRAE, OENO, UMR 1366, ISVV, University of Bordeaux, 33140 Villenave d’Ornon, France; (S.K.); (A.C.); (T.R.)
| | - Arnaud Courtois
- Bordeaux INP, INRAE, OENO, UMR 1366, ISVV, University of Bordeaux, 33140 Villenave d’Ornon, France; (S.K.); (A.C.); (T.R.)
| | - Benjamin Moras
- Activ’Inside, 33750 Beychac et Caillau, France; (B.M.); (D.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Tristan Richard
- Bordeaux INP, INRAE, OENO, UMR 1366, ISVV, University of Bordeaux, 33140 Villenave d’Ornon, France; (S.K.); (A.C.); (T.R.)
| | - David Gaudout
- Activ’Inside, 33750 Beychac et Caillau, France; (B.M.); (D.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Line Pourtau
- Activ’Inside, 33750 Beychac et Caillau, France; (B.M.); (D.G.); (L.P.)
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Koch W, Wawruszak A, Kukula-Koch W, Zdziebło M, Helon P, Almarhoon ZM, Al-Omari B, Calina D, Sharifi-Rad J. Exploring the therapeutic efficacy of crocetin in oncology: an evidence-based review. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 397:1455-1476. [PMID: 37736836 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02714-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
With cancer being a leading cause of death globally, there is an urgent need to improve therapeutic strategies and identify effective chemotherapeutics. This study aims to highlight the potential of crocetin, a natural product derived from certain plants, as an anticancer agent. It was conducted an extensive review of the existing literature to gather and analyze the most recent data on the chemical properties of crocetin and its observed effects in various in vitro and in vivo studies. The study particularly focused on studies that examined crocetin's impact on cell cycle dynamics, apoptosis, caspases and antioxidant enzyme levels, tumor angiogenesis, inflammation, and overall tumor growth. Crocetin exhibited diverse anti-tumorigenic activities including inhibition of tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis induction, angiogenesis suppression, and potentiation of chemotherapy. Multiple cellular and molecular pathways such as the PI3K/Akt, MAPK and NF-κB were modulated by it. Crocetin demonstrates promising anti-cancer properties and offers potential as an adjunctive or alternative therapy in oncology. More large-scale, rigorously designed clinical trials are needed to establish therapeutic protocols and ascertain the comprehensive benefits and safety profile of crocetin in diverse cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wojciech Koch
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Medical University of Lublin, 4a Chodźki Str, 20-093, Lublin, Poland
| | - Anna Wawruszak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodźki Str, 20-093, Lublin, Poland
| | - Wirginia Kukula-Koch
- Department of Pharmacognosy with Medicinal Plants Garden, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodźki Str, 20-093, Lublin, Poland
| | - Magdalena Zdziebło
- Branch in Sandomierz, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Schinzla 13a Str, 27-600, Sandomierz, Poland
| | - Paweł Helon
- Branch in Sandomierz, Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce, Schinzla 13a Str, 27-600, Sandomierz, Poland
| | - Zainab M Almarhoon
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Basem Al-Omari
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Daniela Calina
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349, Craiova, Romania.
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Hou Z, Sun L, Jiang Z, Zeng T, Wu P, Huang J, Liu H, Xiao P. Neuropharmacological insights into Gardenia jasminoides Ellis: Harnessing therapeutic potential for central nervous system disorders. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 125:155374. [PMID: 38301302 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In China, Gardenia jasminoides Ellis (GJE) has a longstanding history of application. The Ministry of Health has listed it as one of the first pharmaceutical or food resources. In ethnic, traditional, and folk medicine, GJE has been used to treat fever and cold and relieve nervous anxiety. Recent studies have confirmed the significant efficacy of GJE for treating central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and major depressive disorder; however, GJE has not been systematically evaluated. PURPOSE This research systematically summarizes global studies on the use of GJE for treating CNS disorders and explores the potential applications and underlying mechanisms via intestinal flora analysis and network pharmacology, aiming to establish a scientific basis for innovative CNS disorder treatment with GJE. METHODS The PRISMA guidelines were used, and electronic databases such as the Web of Science, PubMed, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched using the following search terms: "Gardenia jasminoides Ellis" with "central nervous system disease," "neuroprotection," "Alzheimer's disease," "Parkinson's disease," "ischemic stroke," "Epilepsy," and "major depressive disorder." The published literature up to September 2023 was searched to obtain relevant information on the application of GJE for treating CNS disorders. RESULTS There has been an increase in research on the material formulation and mechanisms of action of GJE for treating CNS disorders, with marked effects on CNS disorder treatment in different countries and regions. We summarized the research results related to the role of GJE in vitro and in vivo via multitargeted interventions in response to the complex mechanisms of action of CNS disorders. CONCLUSION We systematically reviewed the research progress on traditional treatment for GJE and preclinical mechanisms of CNS disorders and explored the potential of optimizing network pharmacology strategies and intestinal flora analysis to elucidate the mechanisms of action of GJE. The remarkable therapeutic efficacy of GJE, an important resource in traditional medicine, has been well documented in the literature, highlighting its significant medicinal potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Hou
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD), No. 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Le Sun
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD), No. 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, PR China.
| | - Zheyu Jiang
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD), No. 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Tiexin Zeng
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD), No. 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Peiling Wu
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD), No. 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Jiali Huang
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD), No. 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Haibo Liu
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD), No. 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, PR China.
| | - Peigen Xiao
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD), No. 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, PR China
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Yin S, Niu L, Zhang J, Liu Y. Gardenia yellow pigment: Extraction methods, biological activities, current trends, and future prospects. Food Res Int 2024; 179:113981. [PMID: 38342530 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.113981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Food coloring plays a vital role in influencing consumers' food choices, imparting vibrant and appealing colors to various food and beverage products. Synthetic food colorants have been the most commonly used coloring agents in the food industry. However, concerns about potential health issues related to synthetic colorants, coupled with increasing consumer demands for food safety and health, have led food manufacturers to explore natural alternatives. Natural pigments not only offer a wide range of colors to food products but also exhibit beneficial bioactive properties. Gardenia yellow pigment is a water-soluble natural pigment with various biological activities, widely present in gardenia fruits. Therefore, this paper aims to delve into Gardenia Yellow Pigment, highlighting its significance as a food colorant. Firstly, a thorough understanding and exploration of various methods for obtaining gardenia yellow pigment. Subsequently, the potential functionality of gardenia yellow pigment was elaborated, especially its excellent antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. Finally, the widespread application trend of gardenia yellow pigment in the food industry was explored, as well as the challenges faced by the future development of gardenia yellow pigment in the field of food and health. Some feasible solutions were proposed, providing valuable references and insights for researchers, food industry professionals, and policy makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shipeng Yin
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
| | - Liqiong Niu
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Future Food (Bai Ma) Research Institute, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuanfa Liu
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
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She CY, Deng YX, Wu QY, Li J. Comparative pharmacokinetic investigation on crocetin in hyperlipidemia and normal rats after oral administration. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024:10.1007/s00210-024-03012-y. [PMID: 38386043 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-024-03012-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Crocetin as one of the main components of saffron possesses a lot of pharmacological effects, especially the beneficial effects in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. However, the pharmacokinetics of crocetin in the pathological state of hyperlipidemia has not been reported. In present study, the pharmacokinetics of crocetin in hyperlipidemia rats after oral administration of crocetin was investigated and the possible mechanisms for the pharmacokinetics were explored. High-fat diet was used to induce hyperlipidemia in rats. The pharmacokinetics of crocetin was investigated in hyperlipidemia and normal rats after oral and intravenous administration of crocetin, and the possible mechanisms of the pharmacokinetic changes were investigated in terms of metabolism and absorption using in vitro incubation with liver microsomes and the everted gut sac method, respectively. Results indicated that the AUCs of crocetin in hyperlipidemia rats after oral administration of crocetin were remarkably decreased when compared with those in normal rats. Moreover, crocetin was also metabolized more rapidly in the liver microsomes of hyperlipidemia rats and intestinal absorption of crocetin was significantly reduced in hyperlipidemia rats. It suggested that the remarkably decreased AUCs of crocetin in hyperlipidemia rats might partly result from the result of faster metabolic elimination and reduced absorption of crocetin in the hyperlipidemia pathological state. And the present investigations conducted on rats demonstrate that further investigations into the kinetics of crocetin in humans with hyperlipidemia are necessary in order to ensure an adequate dosage in this indication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Ye She
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, China
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Traditional Chinese Medicine Research (Hunan Normal University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410081, China
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Medical College of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, China
| | - Yuan-Xiong Deng
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, China.
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Traditional Chinese Medicine Research (Hunan Normal University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410081, China.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Medical College of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, China.
| | - Qin-Yu Wu
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, China
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Traditional Chinese Medicine Research (Hunan Normal University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410081, China
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Medical College of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, China
| | - Jing Li
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, China
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Traditional Chinese Medicine Research (Hunan Normal University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410081, China
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Medical College of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013, China
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Etxebeste-Mitxeltorena M, Niza E, Fajardo CM, Gil C, Gómez-Gómez L, Martinez A, Ahrazem O. Neuroprotective properties of exosomes and chitosan nanoparticles of Tomafran, a bioengineered tomato enriched in crocins. NATURAL PRODUCTS AND BIOPROSPECTING 2024; 14:9. [PMID: 38212507 PMCID: PMC10784249 DOI: 10.1007/s13659-023-00425-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Saffron has many pharmacological properties in addition to being a frequently used food seasoning. Crocin and picrocrocin which accumulate in saffron stigma, are responsible for these pharmacological properties. These natural products have health-promoting effects for the prevention and treatment of numerous diseases, including age-related cognitive and memory disfunction. Currently, crocin and picrocrocin are obtained from saffron, considered as the spice with the highest price in the market. To develop an efficient and low-cost approach to producing these compounds with high bioactivity, biosynthetic genes isolated from saffron can be exploited in the metabolic engineering of heterologous hosts and the production of crocins in productive crop plants. Recently, we engineered tomato fruit producing crocins (Tomafran). In this study, we demonstrated that crocin-rich extract, encapsulated in chitosan or in exosomes may function as a neuroprotective strategy. Crocins contained in the Tomafran extracts and much lower doses in chitosan nanoparticles or exosomes were enough to rescue the neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y after damage caused by okadaic acid. Our results confirm the neuroprotective effect of Tomafran and its exosomes that may be useful for the delay or prevention of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikel Etxebeste-Mitxeltorena
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, C/Ramiro de Maeztu, 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Enrique Niza
- Instituto Botánico, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071, Albacete, Spain
- Facultad de Farmacia, Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agroforestal y Genética, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071, Albacete, Spain
| | - Cristián Martinez Fajardo
- Instituto Botánico, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071, Albacete, Spain
| | - Carmen Gil
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, C/Ramiro de Maeztu, 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lourdes Gómez-Gómez
- Instituto Botánico, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071, Albacete, Spain
- Facultad de Farmacia, Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agroforestal y Genética, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071, Albacete, Spain
| | - Ana Martinez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, C/Ramiro de Maeztu, 9, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28031, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Oussama Ahrazem
- Instituto Botánico, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071, Albacete, Spain.
- Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y de Montes y Biotecnología. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agroforestal y Genética, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain.
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Asdaq SMB, Mannasaheb BA, Orfali R, Shaikh IA, Alshehri A, Alghamdi A, Alrashdi MM, Almadani ME, Abdalla FMA. Antidiabetic and antioxidant potential of Crocin in high-fat diet plus streptozotocin-induced type-2 diabetic rats. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 2024; 38:3946320231220178. [PMID: 38233742 PMCID: PMC10798082 DOI: 10.1177/03946320231220178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Crocin, the principal water-soluble active constituent of saffron, possesses numerous pharmacological activities. The present investigation examined the potential antidiabetic and antioxidant characteristics of Crocin in rats with type-2 diabetes by administering it orally and intraperitoneally (i.p.). METHODS After 2 weeks of a high-fat diet, streptozotocin (STZ) (i.p., 40 mg/kg) was administered to male adult rats to induce type-2 diabetes mellitus. Body weight and fasting blood glucose (FBG) were measured on days zero, weeks 1, and 2. At the end of 2 weeks of drug administration in their respective groups, fasting insulin and glucose levels were estimated, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was determined. Intraperitoneal glucose (IPGTT) and insulin tolerance tests (ITT) were carried out. Histopathological investigation and biochemical parameters were estimated in pancreatic tissues. RESULTS The Crocin (100 mg/kg) treatment has significantly improved body weight, abatement of FBG, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR. Likewise, Crocin treatment significantly improved the glucose and insulin challenges. We observed a significantly marked elevation in endogenous antioxidant enzymes in Crocin-treated groups. Similarly, Crocin treatment reversed the histopathological changes and restored the normal integrity and function of the pancreas. CONCLUSION The overall finding indicates that intraperitoneal administration of Crocin demonstrated better control of glycemic level and body weight. Further, it has improved insulin levels in the serum and potentiated antioxidant properties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Raha Orfali
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrahim Ahmed Shaikh
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Alshehri
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adel Alghamdi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Clinical Pharmacy, Al-Baha University, Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Meshal Mohammed Alrashdi
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Moneer E Almadani
- Department of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faisal Mohammad Ali Abdalla
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
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Liu XY, Zhang YB, Yang XW, Wu XW, Yang YF, Xu W, Wan MQ, Gong Y, Liu NF, Zhang P. Biological analysis of constituents in Spatholobi Caulis by UFLC-MS/MS: Enhanced quantification and application to permeability properties study in Caco-2 cell monolayer model. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2023; 226:115235. [PMID: 36680806 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2023.115235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Major chemical constituents in medicinal materials are often used as the marker compounds of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for treating various diseases. For spatholobi caulis (SPC), it contains a variety of flavones, phenolic acid esters, and lignans which exert many pharmacological effects. However, the absorption and permeability properties of these constituents of SPC are still unclear and require further investigation. Different types and major compounds of SPC were chosen as representative constituents to study their absorption and transepithelial transport characteristics in the human intestinal epithelium-like Caco-2 cell monolayer model. 35 constituents of SPC were evaluated by using ultra fast liquid chromatography combined with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS) method, acetonitrile and water containing with 0.5 mM ammonium acetate were used as mobile phase, these analytes with good linear relationships (R2 was within 0.9967-0.9998), precision (CV values were less than 10.23 %, LLOQ was less than 13.69 %), accuracy (Mean of inter- and intra-day were within 85.02 %-111.61 % and 85.50-112.97 %, respectively) and stability (The mean was within 85.07 %-113.93 %), among which 16 analytes showed good permeability, 5 analytes were considered to be poorly permeable compounds, and the other 14 analytes were assigned for the moderately absorbed compounds in Caco-2 cell monolayer model. The further results showed that the absorption mechanism of 7 well absorbed compounds, 8-O-methylretusin (1), genistein (7), spasuberol B (16), naringenin (18), isoliquiritigenin (19), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy cinnamic acid methyl ester (23) and (+)-epipinoresinol (31) in SPC was mainly passive diffusion, their bidirectional transport rate was correlated with the concentration and transport time. The chemical structures of these compounds could affect the permeability properties on the cell monolayer. This study demonstrated the utility of Caco-2 cell monolayer model for evaluating the absorption properties and initial mechanisms of compounds in SPC in vitro, and provided important basis for predicting oral bioavailability of SPC compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Natural Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Xueyuan Road 38, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, China
| | - You-Bo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Natural Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Xueyuan Road 38, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Xiu-Wei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Natural Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Xueyuan Road 38, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Xiu-Wen Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, China
| | - Yan-Fang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Natural Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Xueyuan Road 38, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Wei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Natural Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Xueyuan Road 38, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Mei-Qi Wan
- School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Yun Gong
- Zhuzhou Qianjin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Zhuzhou 412003, China
| | - Ni-Fu Liu
- Zhuzhou Qianjin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Zhuzhou 412003, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Zhuzhou Qianjin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Zhuzhou 412003, China
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Korczak M, Pilecki M, Granica S, Gorczynska A, Pawłowska KA, Piwowarski JP. Phytotherapy of mood disorders in the light of microbiota-gut-brain axis. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 111:154642. [PMID: 36641978 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.154642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical research in natural product-based psychopharmacology has revealed a variety of promising herbal medicines that may provide benefit in the treatment of mild mood disorders, however failed to unambiguously indicate pharmacologically active constituents. The emerging role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis opens new possibilities in the search for effective methods of treatment and prevention of mood disorders. PURPOSE Considering the clinically proven effectiveness juxtaposed with inconsistencies regarding the indication of active principles for many medicinal plants applied in the treatment of anxiety and depression, the aim of the review is to look at their therapeutic properties from the perspective of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. METHOD A literature-based survey was performed using Scopus, Pubmed, and Google Scholar databases. The current state of knowledge regarding Hypericum perforatum, Valeriana officinalis, Piper methysticum, Passiflora incarnata, Humulus lupulus, Melissa officinalis, Lavandula officinalis, and Rhodiola rosea in terms of their antimicrobial activity, bioavailability, clinical effectiveness in depression/anxiety and gut microbiota - natural products interaction was summarized and analyzed. RESULTS Recent studies have provided direct and indirect evidence that herbal extracts and isolated compounds are potent modulators of gut microbiota structure. Additionally, some of the formed postbiotic metabolites exert positive effects and ameliorate depression-related behaviors in animal models of mood disorders. The review underlines the gap in research on natural products - gut microbiota interaction in the context of mood disorders. CONCLUSION Modification of microbiota-gut-brain axis by natural products is a plausible explanation of their therapeutic properties. Future studies evaluating the effectiveness of herbal medicine and isolated compounds in treating mild mood disorders should consider the bidirectional interplay between phytoconstituents and the gut microbiota community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Korczak
- Microbiota Lab, Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Pilecki
- Department of Psychiatry, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
| | - Sebastian Granica
- Microbiota Lab, Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Gorczynska
- Microbiota Lab, Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karolina A Pawłowska
- Microbiota Lab, Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jakub P Piwowarski
- Microbiota Lab, Department of Pharmacognosy and Molecular Basis of Phytotherapy, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
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Wu H, Li Y, Zhang Q, Wang H, Xiu W, Xu P, Deng Y, Huang W, Wang DO. Crocetin antagonizes parthanatos in ischemic stroke via inhibiting NOX2 and preserving mitochondrial hexokinase-I. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:50. [PMID: 36681688 PMCID: PMC9867762 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-05581-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Parthanatos is one of the major pathways of programmed cell death in ischemic stroke characterized by DNA damage, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARP) activation, and poly (ADP-ribose) (PAR) formation. Here we demonstrate that crocetin, a natural potent antioxidant compound from Crocus sativus, antagonizes parthanatos in ischemic stroke. We reveal that mechanistically, crocetin inhibits NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) activation to reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and PAR production at the early stage of parthanatos. Meanwhile we demonstrate that PARylated hexokinase-I (HK-I) is a novel substrate of E3 ligase RNF146 and that crocetin interacts with HK-I to suppress RNF146-mediated HK-I degradation at the later stage of parthanatos, preventing mitochondrial dysfunction and DNA damage that ultimately trigger the irreversible cell death. Our study supports further development of crocetin as a potential drug candidate for preventing and/or treating ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wu
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Ying Li
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Hanxun Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Wenyu Xiu
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Pu Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Yujie Deng
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510530, China
| | - Wanxu Huang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China.
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510700, China.
- State Key Laboratory of New-tech for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, 222001, China.
| | - Dan Ohtan Wang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China.
- Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 2-2-3 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-Ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan.
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Yoshida Hon-Machi, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.
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Saffron against Neuro-Cognitive Disorders: An Overview of Its Main Bioactive Compounds, Their Metabolic Fate and Potential Mechanisms of Neurological Protection. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14245368. [PMID: 36558528 PMCID: PMC9781906 DOI: 10.3390/nu14245368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a spice used worldwide as a colouring and flavouring agent. Saffron is also a source of multiple bioactive constituents with potential health benefits. Notably, saffron displays consistent beneficial effects against a range of human neurological disorders (depression, anxiety, sleeping alterations). However, the specific compounds and biological mechanisms by which this protection may be achieved have not yet been elucidated. In this review, we have gathered the most updated evidence of the neurological benefits of saffron, as well as the current knowledge on the main saffron constituents, their bioavailability and the potential biological routes and postulated mechanisms by which the beneficial protective effect may occur. Our aim was to provide an overview of the neuroprotective effects attributed to this product and its main bioactive compounds and to highlight the main research gaps that need to be further pursued to achieve full evidence and understanding of the benefits of saffron. Overall, improved clinical trials and adequately designed pre-clinical studies are needed to support the evidence of saffron and of its main bioactive components (e.g., crocin, crocetin) as a therapeutic product to combat neurological disorders.
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Alhazmi HA, Albratty M. An update on the novel and approved drugs for Alzheimer disease. Saudi Pharm J 2022; 30:1755-1764. [PMID: 36601504 PMCID: PMC9805975 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2022.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Given the severity of the condition and the increasing number of patients, developing effective therapies for Alzheimer's disease has become a significant necessity. Aggregation of Amyloid-Beta (Aβ) plaques and Tau Protein Tangles in the brain's nerve tissue are two of the most histopathological/pathophysiological symptoms. Another important element involved in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease is the reduction in acetylcholine (ACh) levels in the brain. Currently available medications for Alzheimer's disease treatment, such as cholinesterase inhibitors and an antagonist of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor, can temporarily reduce dementia symptoms but not stop or reverse disease development. In addition, several medicinal plants have been shown to diminish the degenerative characteristics associated with Alzheimer's disease, either in its crude form or as isolated chemicals. Aim This review summarises the results from previous studies that reflect an array of novel therapies underway in various phases of clinical trials. Many are discontinued due to non-adherence to the designed endpoints or the surfacing of unavoidable side effects. The present piece of article focuses on the approved drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and their related mode of action as well as the promising therapies for the treatment of the said disease. Special attention has been placed on the researched herbal drugs, with the pipeline of novel therapies underway in various phases of clinical trials. Result The current article includes a list of approved pharmaceuticals for treating Alzheimer's disease, prospective therapies for the illness's treatment, and a pipeline of novel therapies in various stages of clinical trials. Conclusion The results suggest that the drugs under clinical trials may open new pathways for the effective treatment of patients with Alzheimer's disease while improving their quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Ahmad Alhazmi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, P. Box No. 114, Jazan, Saudi Arabia,Substance Abuse and Toxicology Research Centre, Jazan University, P. Box No. 114, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Albratty
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, P. Box No. 114, Jazan, Saudi Arabia,Corresponding author at: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia.
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Gómez Gómez L, Morote L, Frusciante S, Rambla JL, Diretto G, Niza E, López-Jimenez AJ, Mondejar M, Rubio-Moraga Á, Argandoña J, Presa S, Martín-Belmonte A, Luján R, Granell A, Ahrazem O. Fortification and bioaccessibility of saffron apocarotenoids in potato tubers. Front Nutr 2022; 9:1045979. [DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1045979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Carotenoids are C40 isoprenoids with well-established roles in photosynthesis, pollination, photoprotection, and hormone biosynthesis. The enzymatic or ROS-induced cleavage of carotenoids generates a group of compounds named apocarotenoids, with an increasing interest by virtue of their metabolic, physiological, and ecological activities. Both classes are used industrially in a variety of fields as colorants, supplements, and bio-actives. Crocins and picrocrocin, two saffron apocarotenoids, are examples of high-value pigments utilized in the food, feed, and pharmaceutical industries. In this study, a unique construct was achieved, namely O6, which contains CsCCD2L, UGT74AD1, and UGT709G1 genes responsible for the biosynthesis of saffron apocarotenoids driven by a patatin promoter for the generation of potato tubers producing crocins and picrocrocin. Different tuber potatoes accumulated crocins and picrocrocin ranging from 19.41–360 to 105–800 μg/g DW, respectively, with crocetin, crocin 1 [(crocetin-(β-D-glucosyl)-ester)] and crocin 2 [(crocetin)-(β-D-glucosyl)-(β-D-glucosyl)-ester)] being the main compounds detected. The pattern of carotenoids and apocarotenoids were distinct between wild type and transgenic tubers and were related to changes in the expression of the pathway genes, especially from PSY2, CCD1, and CCD4. In addition, the engineered tubers showed higher antioxidant capacity, up to almost 4-fold more than the wild type, which is a promising sign for the potential health advantages of these lines. In order to better investigate these aspects, different cooking methods were applied, and each process displayed a significant impact on the retention of apocarotenoids. More in detail, the in vitro bioaccessibility of these metabolites was found to be higher in boiled potatoes (97.23%) compared to raw, baked, and fried ones (80.97, 78.96, and 76.18%, respectively). Overall, this work shows that potatoes can be engineered to accumulate saffron apocarotenoids that, when consumed, can potentially offer better health benefits. Moreover, the high bioaccessibility of these compounds revealed that potato is an excellent way to deliver crocins and picrocrocin, while also helping to improve its nutritional value.
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Alsanie WF, Alamri AS, Abdulaziz O, Salih MM, Alamri A, Asdaq SMB, Alhomrani MH, Alhomrani M. Antidepressant Effect of Crocin in Mice with Chronic Mild Stress. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27175462. [PMID: 36080230 PMCID: PMC9457951 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27175462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the antidepressant property of crocin (Crocetin digentiobiose ester) using a chronic mild stress (CMS)-induced depression model in experimental mice. The tail suspension test (TST) and the sucrose preference test were used to evaluate the antidepressant effect on albino mice of either sex after three weeks of CMS. The period of immobility in the TST and percentage preference for sucrose solution were recorded. By monitoring brain malondialdehyde (MDA) level, catalase (CAT) activity, and reduced glutathione (GSH) level, the antioxidant potential was assessed. Three dosages of crocin (4.84, 9.69, and 19.38 mg/kg) were evaluated. When compared to controls, animals that received crocin administration during three periods of CMS had considerably shorter immobility times during the TST. Crocin treatment also raised the percentage preference for sucrose solution in a dose-dependent manner, bringing it to parity with the conventional antidepressant, imipramine. Animals that received a high dose of crocin had a much greater spontaneous locomotor activity. Furthermore, a high dose of crocin remarkably lowered plasma corticosterone and nitrite levels brought on by CMS. Additionally, high doses of crocin given during CMS greatly enhanced reduced glutathione levels while considerably reducing the brain’s MDA and catalase activities. In conclusion, high doses of crocin may have an antidepressant effect in an animal model through several mechanisms. However, further studies should be carried out to explore the role of neurotransmitters for their antidepressant property.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walaa F. Alsanie
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
- Centre of Biomedical Sciences Research (CBSR), Deanship of Scientific Research, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulhakeem S. Alamri
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
- Centre of Biomedical Sciences Research (CBSR), Deanship of Scientific Research, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Osama Abdulaziz
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Magdi M. Salih
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulwahab Alamri
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Hail, Hail 81451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin Asdaq
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, AlMaarefa University, Dariyah 13713, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (S.M.B.A.); (M.A.)
| | | | - Majid Alhomrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
- Centre of Biomedical Sciences Research (CBSR), Deanship of Scientific Research, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (S.M.B.A.); (M.A.)
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Shahbaz K, Chang D, Zhou X, Low M, Seto SW, Li CG. Crocins for Ischemic Stroke: A Review of Current Evidence. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:825842. [PMID: 35991882 PMCID: PMC9388830 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.825842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Crocins (CRs) and the related active constituents derived from Crocus sativus L. (Saffron) have demonstrated protective effects against cerebral ischemia and ischemic stroke, with various bioactivities including neuroprotection, anti-neuroinflammation, antioxidant, and cardiovascular protection. Among CRs, crocin (CR) has been shown to act on multiple mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in ischemic stroke, including mitochondrial apoptosis, nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of B cells pathway, S100 calcium-binding protein B, interleukin-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor-A. CR is generally safe and well-tolerated. Pharmacokinetic studies indicate that CR has poor bioavailability and needs to convert to crocetin (CC) in order to cross the blood-brain barrier. Clinical studies have shown the efficacy of saffron and CR in treating various conditions, including metabolic syndrome, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and coronary artery disease. There is evidence supporting CR as a treatment for ischemic stroke, although further studies are needed to confirm their efficacy and safety in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Shahbaz
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Kiran Shahbaz, ; Chung Guang Li,
| | - Dennis Chang
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Xian Zhou
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Mitchell Low
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Sai Wang Seto
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
- Reserach Centre for Chinese Medicine Innovation, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chung Guang Li
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: Kiran Shahbaz, ; Chung Guang Li,
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Zhang F, Zhu X, Yu P, Sheng T, Wang Y, Ye Y. Crocin ameliorates depressive-like behaviors induced by chronic restraint stress via the NAMPT-NAD+-SIRT1 pathway in mice. Neurochem Int 2022; 157:105343. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2022.105343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Rashad WA, Sakr S, Domouky AM. Comparative study of oral versus parenteral crocin in mitigating acrolein-induced lung injury in albino rats. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10233. [PMID: 35715565 PMCID: PMC9205959 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14252-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Acrolein (Ac) is the second most commonly inhaled toxin, produced in smoke of fires, tobacco smoke, overheated oils, and fried foods; and usually associated with lung toxicity. Crocin (Cr) is a natural carotenoid with a direct antioxidant capacity. Yet, oral administration of crocin as a natural rout is doubtful, because of poor absorbability. Therefore, the current study aimed to compare the potential protective effect of oral versus intraperitoneal (ip) crocin in mitigating Ac-induced lung toxicity. 50 Adult rats were randomly divided into 5 equal groups; Control (oral-saline and ip-saline) group, Cr (oral-Cr and ip-Cr) group, Ac group, oral-Cr/Ac group, and ip-Cr/Ac group; for biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical investigations. Results indicated increased oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers in lungs of Ac-treated group. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations revealed lung edema, infiltration, fibrosis, and altered expression of apoptotic and anti-apoptotic markers. Compared to oral-Cr/Ac group, the ip-Cr/Ac group demonstrated remarkable improvement in the oxidative, inflammatory, and apoptotic biomarkers, as well as the histopathological alterations. In conclusion, intraperitoneal crocin exerts a more protective effect on acrolein-induced lung toxicity than the orally administered crocin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walaa Abdelhaliem Rashad
- Human Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Alsharquiah, Egypt.
| | - Samar Sakr
- Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Alsharquiah, Egypt
| | - Ayat M Domouky
- Human Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Alsharquiah, Egypt
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An In Vitro Study of Saffron Carotenoids: The Effect of Crocin Extracts and Dimethylcrocetin on Cancer Cell Lines. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11061074. [PMID: 35739971 PMCID: PMC9220052 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11061074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Crocus sativus L. has various pharmacological properties, known for over 3600 years. These properties are attributed mainly to biologically active substances, which belong to the terpenoid group and include crocins, picrocrocin and safranal. The aim of the current work was to examine the effects of crocins (CRCs) and their methyl ester derivate dimethylcrocetin (DMCRT) on glioblastoma and rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines, in terms of cytotoxicity and gene expression, implicated in proapoptotic and cell survival pathways. Cell cytotoxicity was assessed with Alamar Blue fluorescence assay after treatment with saffron carotenoids for 24, 48 and 72 h and concentrations ranging from 22.85 to 0.18 mg/mL for CRCs and 11.43 to 0.09 mg/mL for DMCRT. In addition, BAX, BID, BCL2, MYCN, SOD1, and GSTM1 gene expression was studied by qRT-PCR analysis. Both compounds demonstrated cytotoxic effects against glioblastoma and rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. They induced apoptosis, via BAX and BID upregulation, MYCN and BCL-2, SOD1, GSTM1 downregulation. The current research denotes the possible anticancer properties of saffron carotenoids, which are considered safe phytochemicals, already tested in clinical trials for their health promoting properties.
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Antioxidant Activity, Metal Chelating Ability and DNA Protective Effect of the Hydroethanolic Extracts of Crocus sativus Stigmas, Tepals and Leaves. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11050932. [PMID: 35624796 PMCID: PMC9137568 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11050932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study investigated the antioxidant activity, metal chelating ability and genoprotective effect of the hydroethanolic extracts of Crocus sativus stigmas (STG), tepals (TPL) and leaves (LV). We evaluated the antioxidant and metal (Fe2+ and Cu2+) chelating activities of the stigmas, tepals and leaves of C. sativus. Similarly, we examined the genotoxic and DNA protective effect of these parts on rat leukocytes by comet assay. The results showed that TPL contains the best polyphenol content (64.66 µg GA eq/mg extract). The highest radical scavenging activity is shown by the TPL (DPPH radical scavenging activity: IC50 = 80.73 µg/mL). The same extracts gave a better ferric reducing power at a dose of 50 µg/mL, and better protective activity against β-carotene degradation (39.31% of oxidized β-carotene at a 100 µg/mL dose). In addition, they showed a good chelating ability of Fe2+ (48.7% at a 500 µg/mL dose) and Cu2+ (85.02% at a dose of 500 µg/mL). Thus, the antioxidant activity and metal chelating ability in the C. sativus plant is important, and it varies according to the part and dose used. In addition, pretreatment with STG, TPL and LV significantly (p < 0.001) protected rat leukocytes against the elevation of percent DNA in the tail, tail length and tail moment in streptozotocin- and alloxan-induced DNA damage. These results suggest that C. sativus by-products contain natural antioxidant, metal chelating and DNA protective compounds, which are capable of reducing the risk of cancer and other diseases associated with daily exposure to genotoxic xenobiotics.
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Scuto M, Modafferi S, Rampulla F, Zimbone V, Tomasello M, Spano’ S, Ontario M, Palmeri A, Trovato Salinaro A, Siracusa R, Di Paola R, Cuzzocrea S, Calabrese E, Wenzel U, Calabrese V. Redox modulation of stress resilience by Crocus Sativus L. for potential neuroprotective and anti-neuroinflammatory applications in brain disorders: From molecular basis to therapy. Mech Ageing Dev 2022; 205:111686. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2022.111686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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A natural carotenoid crocin exerts antidepressant action by promoting adult hippocampal neurogenesis through Wnt/β-catenin signaling. J Adv Res 2022; 43:219-231. [PMID: 36585110 PMCID: PMC9811320 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2022.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) is acknowledged to play a critical role in depression. Emerging evidence suggests that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway can modulate hippocampal neurogenesis. Crocin, a natural carotenoid, possesses antidepressant property. Yet, how it affects neurogenesis and exerts antidepressant response remains unknown. OBJECTIVE To explore the role of AHN and Wnt/β-catenin in the antidepressant action of crocin. METHODS Depressive-related behaviors, including sucrose preference test (SPT), tail suspension test (TST), forced swimming test (FST), and sexual behaviors were performed following crocin treatment. Neurogenesis was characterized via immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, Golgi staining and electrophysiology approach. Wnt/β-catenin signaling was examined with western blot analysis. The role of AHN Wnt/β-catenin cascade in crocin's antidepressant response was assessed by conditional removal of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-expressing newborn neural cells, temozolomide administration, microinfusion of Dkk1 or viral-mediated shRNA of Wnt3a. RESULTS Crocin decreased the immobility duration in TST and FST without impairing the performance in sexual behaviors. Crocin boosted the proliferation and differentiation of progenitors, and promoted dendritic maturation and functional integration of hippocampal newborn neurons. Conditional removal of GFAP-expressing neural cells or temozolomide administration impaired the antidepressant response of crocin. Additionally, Wnt/β-catenin signaling was promoted following crocin treatment. In chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) murine model, crocin treatment displayed antidepressant response in SPT, FST and TST, and restored the neurogenesis levels and Wnt/β-catenin signaling impaired by CUMS. Infusion of Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) or knockdown of Wnt3a in the hippocampus impaired the antidepressant response of crocin. CONCLUSION Crocin exerted antidepressant response, which was dependent on enhancement of AHN and activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.
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Guo ZL, Li MX, Li XL, Wang P, Wang WG, Du WZ, Yang ZQ, Chen SF, Wu D, Tian XY. Crocetin: A Systematic Review. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:745683. [PMID: 35095483 PMCID: PMC8795768 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.745683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Crocetin is an aglycone of crocin naturally occurring in saffron and produced in biological systems by hydrolysis of crocin as a bioactive metabolite. It is known to exist in several medicinal plants, the desiccative ripe fruit of the cape jasmine belonging to the Rubiaceae family, and stigmas of the saffron plant of the Iridaceae family. According to modern pharmacological investigations, crocetin possesses cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, antidepressant, antiviral, anticancer, atherosclerotic, antidiabetic, and memory-enhancing properties. Although poor bioavailability hinders therapeutic applications, derivatization and formulation preparation technologies have broadened the application prospects for crocetin. To promote the research and development of crocetin, we summarized the distribution, preparation and production, total synthesis and derivatization technology, pharmacological activity, pharmacokinetics, drug safety, drug formulations, and preparation of crocetin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Liang Guo
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese of PLA, Gansu Plateau Pharmaceutical Technology Center, Lanzhou, China.,College of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Mao-Xing Li
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese of PLA, Gansu Plateau Pharmaceutical Technology Center, Lanzhou, China.,College of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,College of Pharmacy, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Lin Li
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese of PLA, Gansu Plateau Pharmaceutical Technology Center, Lanzhou, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese of PLA, Gansu Plateau Pharmaceutical Technology Center, Lanzhou, China.,College of Pharmacy, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wei-Gang Wang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese of PLA, Gansu Plateau Pharmaceutical Technology Center, Lanzhou, China.,College of Pharmacy, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wei-Ze Du
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese of PLA, Gansu Plateau Pharmaceutical Technology Center, Lanzhou, China.,College of Pharmacy, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Yang
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese of PLA, Gansu Plateau Pharmaceutical Technology Center, Lanzhou, China.,Institute of Chemical Technology, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Sheng-Fu Chen
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese of PLA, Gansu Plateau Pharmaceutical Technology Center, Lanzhou, China.,College of Pharmacy, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Di Wu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese of PLA, Gansu Plateau Pharmaceutical Technology Center, Lanzhou, China.,College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Xiu-Yu Tian
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese of PLA, Gansu Plateau Pharmaceutical Technology Center, Lanzhou, China.,College of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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Chyau CC, Chiu CY, Hsieh HL, Hsieh DWC, Hsieh CR, Chang CH, Peng RY. High-Purity Preparation of Enzyme Transformed Trans-Crocetin Reclaimed from Gardenia Fruit Waste. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11030281. [PMID: 35161261 PMCID: PMC8839004 DOI: 10.3390/plants11030281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The recovery of physiologically bioactive ingredients from agricultural wastes as an abundant and low-cost source for the production of high value-added mutraceuticlas has been recognized and supported for the commercial interests and sustainable managements. In the extraction of geniposide for the development of natural food colorants from the dried fruits of Gardenia jasminoides Rubiaceae, the gardenia fruit waste (GFW) still remaining 0.86% (w/w) of crocins has always been discarded without any further treatments Until now, there was no simple and effective protocol for high-purity trans-crocein (TC) preparation without the coexistence of non-biologically active cis-crocein from GFW. We proposed an effective process to obtain the compound as follows. Crocins were extracted firstly by 50% of ethanol in the highest yield of 8.61 mg/g (w/w) from GFW. After the HPD-100 column fractionation in the collecting of crocins, the conversion ratio of 75% of crocins to crocetins can be obtained from the commercial available enzyme- Celluclast® 1.5 L. The crocins hydrolyzed products, were then separated through the HPD-100 resin adsorption and finally purified with the centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) in single-step to obtain TC in a purity of 96.76 ± 0.17%. Conclusively, the effective enzyme transformation and purification co-operated with CPC technologies on crocins resulted in a high purity product of TC may be highly application in the commercial production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charng-Cherng Chyau
- Research Institute of Biotechnology, Hungkuang University, Taichung 43302, Taiwan; (C.-Y.C.); (C.-H.C.)
- Correspondence: (C.-C.C.); (R.Y.P.); Tel.: +886-4-26318652 (C.-C.C.); Fax: +886-4-26525386 (C.-C.C.)
| | - Chu-Ying Chiu
- Research Institute of Biotechnology, Hungkuang University, Taichung 43302, Taiwan; (C.-Y.C.); (C.-H.C.)
| | - Hung-Lin Hsieh
- Day Spring Biotech Co., Ltd., Taichung 43302, Taiwan; (H.-L.H.); (D.W.-C.H.); (C.-R.H.)
| | - David Wang-Chi Hsieh
- Day Spring Biotech Co., Ltd., Taichung 43302, Taiwan; (H.-L.H.); (D.W.-C.H.); (C.-R.H.)
| | - Chong-Ru Hsieh
- Day Spring Biotech Co., Ltd., Taichung 43302, Taiwan; (H.-L.H.); (D.W.-C.H.); (C.-R.H.)
| | - Chi-Huang Chang
- Research Institute of Biotechnology, Hungkuang University, Taichung 43302, Taiwan; (C.-Y.C.); (C.-H.C.)
| | - Robert Y. Peng
- Research Institute of Biotechnology, Hungkuang University, Taichung 43302, Taiwan; (C.-Y.C.); (C.-H.C.)
- Correspondence: (C.-C.C.); (R.Y.P.); Tel.: +886-4-26318652 (C.-C.C.); Fax: +886-4-26525386 (C.-C.C.)
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Liang N, Yao MD, Wang Y, Liu J, Feng L, Wang ZM, Li XY, Xiao WH, Yuan YJ. CsCCD2 Access Tunnel Design for a Broader Substrate Profile in Crocetin Production. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2021; 69:11626-11636. [PMID: 34554747 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.1c04588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Crocetin, a high-value apocarotenoid in saffron, is widely applied to the fields of food and medicine. However, the existing method of obtaining crocetin through large-scale cultivation is far from meeting the market demand. Microbial synthesis of crocetin is a potential alternative to traditional resources, and it is found that carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase (CCD) is the critical enzyme to synthesize crocetin. So, in this study, we used "hybrid-tunnel" engineering to obtain variants of Crocus sativus-derived CsCCD2, essential for zeaxanthin conversion into crocetin, with a broader substrate specificity and higher catalytic efficiency. Variants including S323A, with a lower charge bias and a larger tunnel size than the wild-type, showed a 5-fold higher crocetin titer in yeast-based fermentations. S323A could also convert the β-carotene substrate to crocetin dialdehyde and exhibited a 12.83-fold greater catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) toward zeaxanthin than the wild-type in vitro. This strategy enabled the production of 107 mg/L crocetin in 5 L fed-batch fermentation, higher than that previously reported. Our findings demonstrate that engineering access tunnels to expand the substrate profile by in silico protein design represents a viable strategy to refine the catalytic properties of enzymes across a range of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Liang
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ming-Dong Yao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Lu Feng
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | | | - Xiang-Yu Li
- CABIO Biotech (Wuhan) Co. Ltd., Wuhan 436070, China
| | - Wen-Hai Xiao
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Georgia Tech Shenzhen Institute, Tianjin University, Tangxing Road 133, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518071, China
| | - Ying-Jin Yuan
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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Crocetin Exerts Its Anti-inflammatory Property in LPS-Induced RAW264.7 Cells Potentially via Modulation on the Crosstalk between MEK1/JNK/NF- κB/iNOS Pathway and Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021; 2021:6631929. [PMID: 34545298 PMCID: PMC8449229 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6631929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Crocetin is a main bioactive component with a carotenoid skeleton in Gardenia jasminoides, a typical traditional Chinese medicine with a long history in Southeast Asia. Crocetin is being commonly consumed as spices, dyes, and food colorants. Recent pharmacological studies had implied that crocetin may possess potent anti-inflammatory properties; however, the underlying molecular mechanism is not fully elucidated. In the present study, the regulatory effect of crocetin on redox balance was systematically investigated in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The results showed that crocetin dose-dependently inhibited LPS-induced nitric oxide production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in RAW264.7 cells. Molecular data revealed that crocetin exerted its anti-inflammatory property by inhibiting the MEK1/JNK/NF-κB/iNOS pathway and activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. The shRNA-knockdown (KD) of MEK1 and ERK1 confirmed that the activation of MEK1 and inhibition of JNK mediated the anti-inflammatory effect of crocetin. Moreover, the pull-down assay and computational molecule docking showed that crocetin could directly bind to MEK1 and JNK1/2. It is noticed that both KD and knockout (KO) of HO-1 gene blocked this action. More detailed data have shown that HO-1-KO blocked the inhibition of p-IκB-α by crocetin. These data indicated that crocetin exerted its anti-inflammatory property via modulating the crosstalk between the MEK1/JNK/NF-κB/iNOS pathway and the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, highlighting HO-1 as a major player. Therefore, the present study reveals that crocetin can act as a potential candidate for redox-balancing modulation in charge of its anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive effect, which strengthens its potency in the subsequent clinic application in the near future.
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Roshanravan N, Ghaffari S. The therapeutic potential of Crocus sativus Linn.: A comprehensive narrative review of clinical trials. Phytother Res 2021; 36:98-111. [PMID: 34532906 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.7286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Crocus sativus Linn. (Saffron) is valued worldwide for its potential use in the management of various degenerative disorders, including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), diabetes, cancer, metabolic syndrome (MetS), neurodegenerative diseases, immune disorders, and sexual dysfunction. Previous reports, based on clinical trials, suggest that crocetin, crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal are the main bioactive components of saffron with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects. In this comprehensive narrative review, we studied the recent clinical trials, investigating the medicinal applications of saffron and/or its components. The present results can provide important insights into the potential of saffron in preventing and treating different disorders, with a special focus on the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. However, further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of saffron in treating some degenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Roshanravan
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Samad Ghaffari
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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Shaheen MJ, Bekdash AM, Itani HA, Borjac JM. Saffron extract attenuates neuroinflammation in rmTBI mouse model by suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome activation via SIRT1. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257211. [PMID: 34506597 PMCID: PMC8432768 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a major cause of morbidity and disability worldwide and a healthcare burden. TBI is an important risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases hallmarked by exacerbated neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation in the cerebral cortex plays a critical role in secondary injury progression following TBI. The NOD-like receptors (NLR) family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is a key player in initiating the inflammatory response in various central nervous system disorders entailing TBI. This current study aims to investigate the role of NLRP3 in repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI) and identify the potential neuroprotective effect of saffron extract in regulating the NLRP3 inflammasome. 24 hours following the final injury, rmTBI causes an upregulation in mRNA levels of NLRP3, caspase-1, the apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), interleukin-1Beta (IL-1β), interleukin 18 (IL-18), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1). Protein levels of NLRP3, sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1), and neuronal nuclei (Neu N) also increased after rmTBI. Administration of saffron alleviated the degree of TBI, as evidenced by reducing the neuronal damage, astrocyte, and microglial activation. Pretreatment with saffron inhibited the activation of NLRP3, caspase-1, and ASC concurrent to reduced production of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18. Additionally, saffron extract enhanced SIRT1 expression, NRF2, and HMOX1 upregulation. These results suggest that NLRP3 inflammasome activation and the subsequent inflammatory response in the mice cortex are involved in the process of rmTBI. Saffron blocked the inflammatory response and relieved TBI by activating detoxifying genes and inhibiting NLRP3 activation. The effect of saffron on the NLRP3 inflammasome may be SIRT1 and NF-κB dependent in the rmTBI model. Thus, brain injury biomarkers will help in identifying a potential therapeutic target in treating TBI-induced neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam J. Shaheen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Debbieh, Lebanon
| | - Amira M. Bekdash
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Hana A. Itani
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Jamilah M. Borjac
- Department of Biological Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Debbieh, Lebanon
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Song YN, Wang Y, Zheng YH, Liu TL, Zhang C. Crocins: A comprehensive review of structural characteristics, pharmacokinetics and therapeutic effects. Fitoterapia 2021; 153:104969. [PMID: 34147548 DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2021.104969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Crocins, as a kind of water-soluble carotenoid pigment, are a series of ester compounds formed from crocetin and gentibiose or glucose, and mainly distributed among Crocus sativus L. (CSL), Gardenia jasminoides Ellis. (GJE). Crocins exhibit a wide range of pharmacological effects on neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, depression, liver disease, arthritis, tumor, diabetes, etc. This review systematically discussed the pharmacologic study of crocins in the aspect of structural characteristic and pharmacokinetics, and summarized the mechanism of treating disease. It summarized the abundant research of crocins from 1984 to 2020 based on the above aspects, which provide a reference for the deeply development and application of crocins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Nan Song
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China; Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian 271016, China
| | - Yun Wang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Ying-Hao Zheng
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | | | - Cun Zhang
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
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Zhao C, Kam HT, Chen Y, Gong G, Hoi MPM, Skalicka-Woźniak K, Dias ACP, Lee SMY. Crocetin and Its Glycoside Crocin, Two Bioactive Constituents From Crocus sativus L. (Saffron), Differentially Inhibit Angiogenesis by Inhibiting Endothelial Cytoskeleton Organization and Cell Migration Through VEGFR2/SRC/FAK and VEGFR2/MEK/ERK Signaling Pathways. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:675359. [PMID: 33995106 PMCID: PMC8120304 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.675359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Crocetin and crocin are two important carotenoids isolated from saffron (Crocus sativus L.), which have been used as natural biomedicines with beneficial effects for improving the suboptimal health status associated with abnormal angiogenesis. However, the anti-angiogenic effects and underlying mechanisms of the effects of crocetin and crocin have not been investigated and compared. The anti-angiogenic effects of crocetin and crocin were tested on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro, and in zebrafish in vivo. In vivo, crocetin (20 μM) and crocin (50 and 100 μM) significantly inhibited subintestinal vein vessels formation, and a conversion process between them existed in zebrafish, resulting in a difference in their effective concentrations. In the HUVEC model, crocetin (10, 20 and 40 μM) and crocin (100, 200 and 400 μM) inhibited cell migration and tube formation, and inhibited the phosphorylation of VEGFR2 and its downstream pathway molecules. In silico analysis further showed that crocetin had a higher ability to bind with VEGFR2 than crocin. These results suggested that crocetin was more effective than crocin in inhibiting angiogenesis through regulation of the VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathway. These compounds, especially crocetin, are potential candidate natural biomedicines for the management of diseases associated with abnormal blood vessel growth, such as age-related macular degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Hio-Tong Kam
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Yan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Guiyi Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Maggie Pui-Man Hoi
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Krystyna Skalicka-Woźniak
- Independent Laboratory of Natural Products Chemistry, Department of Pharmacognosy, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Alberto Carlos Pires Dias
- Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences (CITAB-UM), AgroBioPlant Group, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Simon Ming-Yuen Lee
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
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Girme A, Pawar S, Ghule C, Shengule S, Saste G, Balasubramaniam AK, Deshmukh A, Hingorani L. Bioanalytical Method Development and Validation Study of Neuroprotective Extract of Kashmiri Saffron Using Ultra-Fast Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS): In Vivo Pharmacokinetics of Apocarotenoids and Carotenoids. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26061815. [PMID: 33807056 PMCID: PMC8005090 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26061815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Kashmir saffron (Crocus sativus L.), also known as Indian saffron, is an important Asian medicinal plant with protective therapeutic applications in brain health. The main bioactive in Kashmir or Indian Saffron (KCS) and its extract (CSE) are apocarotenoids picrocrocin (PIC) and safranal (SAF) with carotenoids, crocetin esters (crocins), and crocetins. The ultra-fast liquid chromatography(UFLC)- photodiode array standardization confirmed the presence of biomarkers PIC, trans-4-GG-crocin (T4C), trans-3-Gg-crocin (T3C), cis-4-GG-crocin (C4C), trans-2-gg-crocin (T2C), trans-crocetin (TCT), and SAF in CSE. This study’s objectives were to develop and validate a sensitive and rapid UFLC-tandem mass spectrometry method for PIC and SAF along T4C and TCT in rat plasma with internal standards (IS). The calibration curves were linear (R2 > 0.990), with the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) as 10 ng/mL. The UFLC-MS/MS assay-based precision (RSD, <15%) and accuracy (RE, −11.03–9.96) on analytical quality control (QC) levels were well within the acceptance criteria with excellent recoveries (91.18–106.86%) in plasma samples. The method was applied to investigate the in vivo pharmacokinetic parameters after oral administration of 40 mg/kg CSE in the rats (n = 6). The active metabolite TCT and T4C, PIC, SAF were quantified for the first time with T3C, C4C, T2C by this validated bioanalytical method, which will be useful for preclinical/clinical trials of CSE as a potential neuroprotective dietary supplement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aboli Girme
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +91-704-353-4016 or +91-982-506-3959
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Rossi G, Placidi M, Castellini C, Rea F, D'Andrea S, Alonso GL, Gravina GL, Tatone C, Di Emidio G, D’Alessandro AM. Crocetin Mitigates Irradiation Injury in an In Vitro Model of the Pubertal Testis: Focus on Biological Effects and Molecular Mechanisms. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26061676. [PMID: 33802807 PMCID: PMC8002482 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26061676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Infertility is a potential side effect of radiotherapy and significantly affects the quality of life for adolescent cancer survivors. Very few studies have addressed in pubertal models the mechanistic events that could be targeted to provide protection from gonadotoxicity and data on potential radioprotective treatments in this peculiar period of life are elusive. In this study, we utilized an in vitro model of the mouse pubertal testis to investigate the efficacy of crocetin to counteract ionizing radiation (IR)-induced injury and potential underlying mechanisms. Present experiments provide evidence that exposure of testis fragments from pubertal mice to 2 Gy X-rays induced extensive structural and cellular damage associated with overexpression of PARP1, PCNA, SOD2 and HuR and decreased levels of SIRT1 and catalase. A twenty-four hr exposure to 50 μM crocetin pre- and post-IR significantly reduced testis injury and modulated the response to DNA damage and oxidative stress. Nevertheless, crocetin treatment did not counteract the radiation-induced changes in the expression of SIRT1, p62 and LC3II. These results increase the knowledge of mechanisms underlying radiation damage in pubertal testis and establish the use of crocetin as a fertoprotective agent against IR deleterious effects in pubertal period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Rossi
- Lab of Reproductive Technologies, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (G.R.); (M.P.); (F.R.); (C.T.)
| | - Martina Placidi
- Lab of Reproductive Technologies, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (G.R.); (M.P.); (F.R.); (C.T.)
| | - Chiara Castellini
- Andrology Unit, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (C.C.); (S.D.)
| | - Francesco Rea
- Lab of Reproductive Technologies, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (G.R.); (M.P.); (F.R.); (C.T.)
| | - Settimio D'Andrea
- Andrology Unit, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (C.C.); (S.D.)
| | - Gonzalo Luis Alonso
- Química Agrícola, E.T.S.I. Agrónomos y Montes, Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología Agroforestal y Genética, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Avda. de España s/n, 02071 Albacete, Spain;
| | - Giovanni Luca Gravina
- Laboratory of Radiobiology, Division of Radiotherapy, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy;
| | - Carla Tatone
- Lab of Reproductive Technologies, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (G.R.); (M.P.); (F.R.); (C.T.)
| | - Giovanna Di Emidio
- Lab of Reproductive Technologies, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (G.R.); (M.P.); (F.R.); (C.T.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Anna Maria D’Alessandro
- Lab of Nutritional Biochemistry, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy;
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Ghalandari-Shamami M, Nourizade S, Barati M, Yousefi B, Pashayi M, Ali Vafaei A, Kokhaei P, Rashidy-Pour A. Exercise and crocin prevent adolescent-stress induced impairment of spatial navigation and dendritic retraction in the hippocampal CA3 area in adult male rats. Brain Res 2021; 1754:147274. [PMID: 33422526 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.147274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Adolescent chronic stress has been shown to induce functional, biochemical and morphological modifications of the hippocampus, leading to stress-related disorders in adulthood. The present study investigated the effects of exercise, crocin and their combination on spatial learning and memory impairment and dendritic retraction of the CA3 pyramidal neurons induced by chronic adolescent stress in adult male rats. Rats were exposed to restraint stress 2 h/day for 10 days during postnatal days (PNDs) 30-40. Following this period, separate groups of animals were treated with crocin (25 and 50 mg/kg), exposed to running wheel, and or received the combined treatment during PNDs 41-55. Following the interventions, plasma levels of corticosterone, spatial learning and memory, apical dendritic length of CA3 pyramidal neurons and BDNF levels in the CA3 area were assessed. Findings showed that adolescent stress significantly increased corticosterone levels and caused a tendency to reduce CA3 BDNF levels. Adolescent stress also impaired spatial learning and memory, and retracted apical dendritic length of CA3 pyramidal neurons. Crocin, voluntary exercise, and their combination recovered stress-induced spatial learning and impairment and CA3 pyramidal neurons dendritic length retraction. All treatments also reduced significantly corticosterone levels and enhanced CA3 BDNF levels in the stress groups. Finally, these treatments even increased apical dendritic length of CA3 pyramidal neurons in the non-stress groups. These findings indicate that detrimental effects of adolescent stress on cognitive function and hippocampal morphology in adulthood could be restored by early interventions with physical activity and crocin treatment during adolescent period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohadeseh Ghalandari-Shamami
- Student Research Committee, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran; Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Shahla Nourizade
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Mehdi Barati
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Behpour Yousefi
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Mehrnush Pashayi
- Cancer Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Abbas Ali Vafaei
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Parviz Kokhaei
- Cancer Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Ali Rashidy-Pour
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
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Pitsikas N. Crocus sativus L. Extracts and Its Constituents Crocins and Safranal; Potential Candidates for Schizophrenia Treatment? Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26051237. [PMID: 33669124 PMCID: PMC7956290 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26051237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic mental devastating disease. Current therapy suffers from various limitations including low efficacy and serious side effects. Thus, there is an urgent necessity to develop new antipsychotics with higher efficacy and safety. The dried stigma of the plant Crocus sativus L., (CS) commonly known as saffron, are used in traditional medicine for various purposes. It has been demonstrated that saffron and its bioactive components crocins and safranal exert a beneficial action in different pathologies of the central nervous system such as anxiety, depression, epilepsy and memory problems. Recently, their role as potential antipsychotic agents is under investigation. In the present review, I intended to critically assess advances in research of these molecules for the treatment of schizophrenia, comment on their advantages over currently used neuroleptics as well-remaining challenges. Up to our days, few preclinical studies have been conducted to this end. In spite of it, results are encouraging and strongly corroborate that additional research is mandatory aiming to definitively establish a role for saffron and its bioactive components for the treatment of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Pitsikas
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, Panepistimiou 3, 415-00 Larissa, Greece
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40
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PLGA Multiplex Membrane Platform for Disease Modelling and Testing of Therapeutic Compounds. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:membranes11020112. [PMID: 33562851 PMCID: PMC7915411 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11020112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A proper validation of an engineered brain microenvironment requires a trade of between the complexity of a cellular construct within the in vitro platform and the simple implementation of the investigational tool. The present work aims to accomplish this challenging balance by setting up an innovative membrane platform that represents a good compromise between a proper mimicked brain tissue analogue combined with an easily accessible and implemented membrane system. Another key aspect of the in vitro modelling disease is the identification of a precise phenotypic onset as a definite hallmark of the pathology that needs to be recapitulated within the implemented membrane system. On the basis of these assumptions, we propose a multiplex membrane system in which the recapitulation of specific neuro-pathological onsets related to Alzheimer’s disease pathologies, namely oxidative stress and β-amyloid1–42 toxicity, allowed us to test the neuroprotective effects of trans-crocetin on damaged neurons. The proposed multiplex membrane platform is therefore quite a versatile tool that allows the integration of neuronal pathological events in combination with the testing of new molecules. The present paper explores the use of this alternative methodology, which, relying on membrane technology approach, allows us to study the basic physiological and pathological behaviour of differentiated neuronal cells, as well as their changing behaviour, in response to new potential therapeutic treatment.
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41
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Ou A, Ott M, Fang D, Heimberger AB. The Role and Therapeutic Targeting of JAK/STAT Signaling in Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:437. [PMID: 33498872 PMCID: PMC7865703 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13030437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma remains one of the deadliest and treatment-refractory human malignancies in large part due to its diffusely infiltrative nature, molecular heterogeneity, and capacity for immune escape. The Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway contributes substantively to a wide variety of protumorigenic functions, including proliferation, anti-apoptosis, angiogenesis, stem cell maintenance, and immune suppression. We review the current state of knowledge regarding the biological role of JAK/STAT signaling in glioblastoma, therapeutic strategies, and future directions for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Ou
- Department of Neuro-Oncology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Martina Ott
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA; (M.O.); (D.F.)
| | - Dexing Fang
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA; (M.O.); (D.F.)
| | - Amy B. Heimberger
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA; (M.O.); (D.F.)
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Wani A, Al Rihani SB, Sharma A, Weadick B, Govindarajan R, Khan SU, Sharma PR, Dogra A, Nandi U, Reddy CN, Bharate SS, Singh G, Bharate SB, Vishwakarma RA, Kaddoumi A, Kumar A. Crocetin promotes clearance of amyloid-β by inducing autophagy via the STK11/LKB1-mediated AMPK pathway. Autophagy 2021; 17:3813-3832. [PMID: 33404280 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2021.1872187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is usually accompanied by two prominent pathological features, cerebral accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and presence of MAPT/tau neurofibrillary tangles. Dysregulated clearance of Aβ largely contributes to its accumulation and plaque formation in the brain. Macroautophagy/autophagy is a lysosomal degradative process, which plays an important role in the clearance of Aβ. Failure of autophagic clearance of Aβ is currently acknowledged as a contributing factor to increased accumulation of Aβ in AD brains. In this study, we have identified crocetin, a pharmacologically active constituent from the flower stigmas of Crocus sativus, as a potential inducer of autophagy in AD. In the cellular model, crocetin induced autophagy in N9 microglial and primary neuron cells through STK11/LKB1 (serine/threonine kinase 11)-mediated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway activation. Autophagy induction by crocetin significantly increased Aβ clearance in N9 cells. Moreover, crocetin crossed the blood-brain barrier and induced autophagy in the brains' hippocampi of wild-type male C57BL/6 mice. Further studies in transgenic male 5XFAD mice, as a model of AD, revealed that one-month treatment with crocetin significantly reduced Aβ levels and neuroinflammation in the mice brains and improved memory function by inducing autophagy that was mediated by AMPK pathway activation. Our findings support further development of crocetin as a pharmacological inducer of autophagy to prevent, slow down progression, and/or treat AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abubakar Wani
- Division of PK-PD-Toxicology and Formulation, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (Acsir), Ghaziabad, India.,Department of Neurology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Sweilem B Al Rihani
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Ankita Sharma
- Division of PK-PD-Toxicology and Formulation, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (Acsir), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Brenna Weadick
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Rajgopal Govindarajan
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Sameer U Khan
- Division of PK-PD-Toxicology and Formulation, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India.,Division of Cancer Pharmacology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India
| | - Parduman R Sharma
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (Acsir), Ghaziabad, India.,Division of Cancer Pharmacology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India
| | - Ashish Dogra
- Division of PK-PD-Toxicology and Formulation, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (Acsir), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Utpal Nandi
- Division of PK-PD-Toxicology and Formulation, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (Acsir), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Chilakala N Reddy
- Preformulation Laboratory, PK-PD Toxicology and Formulation Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India
| | - Sonali S Bharate
- Preformulation Laboratory, PK-PD Toxicology and Formulation Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India.,Shobhaben Pratapbhai Patel School of Pharmacy & Technology Management, SVKM's NMIMS, Mumbai, India
| | - Gurdarshan Singh
- Division of PK-PD-Toxicology and Formulation, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (Acsir), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Sandip B Bharate
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (Acsir), Ghaziabad, India.,Division of Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India
| | - Ram A Vishwakarma
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (Acsir), Ghaziabad, India.,Division of Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India
| | - Amal Kaddoumi
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Ajay Kumar
- Division of PK-PD-Toxicology and Formulation, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (Acsir), Ghaziabad, India
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Auxtero MD, Chalante S, Abade MR, Jorge R, Fernandes AI. Potential Herb-Drug Interactions in the Management of Age-Related Cognitive Dysfunction. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:124. [PMID: 33478035 PMCID: PMC7835864 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13010124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Late-life mild cognitive impairment and dementia represent a significant burden on healthcare systems and a unique challenge to medicine due to the currently limited treatment options. Plant phytochemicals have been considered in alternative, or complementary, prevention and treatment strategies. Herbals are consumed as such, or as food supplements, whose consumption has recently increased. However, these products are not exempt from adverse effects and pharmacological interactions, presenting a special risk in aged, polymedicated individuals. Understanding pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions is warranted to avoid undesirable adverse drug reactions, which may result in unwanted side-effects or therapeutic failure. The present study reviews the potential interactions between selected bioactive compounds (170) used by seniors for cognitive enhancement and representative drugs of 10 pharmacotherapeutic classes commonly prescribed to the middle-aged adults, often multimorbid and polymedicated, to anticipate and prevent risks arising from their co-administration. A literature review was conducted to identify mutual targets affected (inhibition/induction/substrate), the frequency of which was taken as a measure of potential interaction. Although a limited number of drugs were studied, from this work, interaction with other drugs affecting the same targets may be anticipated and prevented, constituting a valuable tool for healthcare professionals in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria D. Auxtero
- CiiEM, Interdisciplinary Research Centre Egas Moniz, Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal; (M.D.A.); (S.C.); (M.R.A.); (R.J.)
| | - Susana Chalante
- CiiEM, Interdisciplinary Research Centre Egas Moniz, Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal; (M.D.A.); (S.C.); (M.R.A.); (R.J.)
| | - Mário R. Abade
- CiiEM, Interdisciplinary Research Centre Egas Moniz, Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal; (M.D.A.); (S.C.); (M.R.A.); (R.J.)
| | - Rui Jorge
- CiiEM, Interdisciplinary Research Centre Egas Moniz, Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal; (M.D.A.); (S.C.); (M.R.A.); (R.J.)
- Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, School of Agriculture, Quinta do Galinheiro, 2001-904 Santarém, Portugal
- CIEQV, Life Quality Research Centre, IPSantarém/IPLeiria, Avenida Dr. Mário Soares, 110, 2040-413 Rio Maior, Portugal
| | - Ana I. Fernandes
- CiiEM, Interdisciplinary Research Centre Egas Moniz, Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal; (M.D.A.); (S.C.); (M.R.A.); (R.J.)
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Cerdá-Bernad D, Valero-Cases E, Pastor JJ, Frutos MJ. Saffron bioactives crocin, crocetin and safranal: effect on oxidative stress and mechanisms of action. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2020; 62:3232-3249. [PMID: 33356506 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2020.1864279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is used as a spice for its organoleptic characteristics related to its coloring and flavoring properties, and it has been also used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases. The main chemical components responsible for these properties are crocin, crocetin and safranal. These compounds have been shown to have a wide spectrum of biological activities, including several properties as antigenotoxic, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiatherosclerotic, antidiabetic, hypotensive, hypoglycemic, antihyperlipidemic, antidegenerative and antidepressant, among others. This review article highlights the antioxidant effects of these bioactive compounds to reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the mechanisms of action involved, since there are a multitude of diseases related to oxidative stress and the generation of free radicals (FRs). Recent studies have shown that the effects of crocin, crocetin and safranal against oxidative stress include the reduction in lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde [MDA] levels) and nitric oxide (NO) levels, and the increase in the levels of glutathione, antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase [GPx]) and thiol content. Therefore, due to the great antioxidant effects of these saffron compounds, it makes saffron a potential source of bioactive extracts for the development of bioactive ingredients, which can be used to produce functional foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Cerdá-Bernad
- Research Group on Quality and Safety, Food Technology Department, Miguel Hernández University, Orihuela, Spain
| | - Estefanía Valero-Cases
- Research Group on Quality and Safety, Food Technology Department, Miguel Hernández University, Orihuela, Spain
| | | | - María José Frutos
- Research Group on Quality and Safety, Food Technology Department, Miguel Hernández University, Orihuela, Spain
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Abu-Izneid T, Rauf A, Khalil AA, Olatunde A, Khalid A, Alhumaydhi FA, Aljohani ASM, Sahab Uddin M, Heydari M, Khayrullin M, Shariati MA, Aremu AO, Alafnan A, Rengasamy KRR. Nutritional and health beneficial properties of saffron ( Crocus sativus L): a comprehensive review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2020; 62:2683-2706. [PMID: 33327732 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2020.1857682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Saffron (Crocus sativus L., family Iridaceae) is used traditionally for medicinal purpose in Chinese, Ayurvedic, Persian and Unani medicines. The bioactive constituents such as apocarotenoids, monoterpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids and phytosterols are widely investigated in experimental and clinical studies for a wide range of therapeutic effects, especially on the nervous system. Some of the active constituents of saffron have high bioavailability and bioaccessibility and ability to pass the blood-brain barrier. Multiple preclinical and clinical studies have supported neuroprotective, anxiolytic, antidepressant, learning and memory-enhancing effect of saffron and its bioactive constituents (safranal, crocin, and picrocrocin). Thus, this plant and its active compounds could be a beneficial medicinal food ingredient in the formation of drugs targeting nervous system disorders. This review focuses on phytochemistry, bioaccessibility, bioavailability, and bioactivity of phytochemicals in saffron. Furthermore, the therapeutic effect of saffron against different nervous system disorders has also been discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tareq Abu-Izneid
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Al Ain Campus, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Abdur Rauf
- Department of Chemistry, University of Swabi, Anbar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Anees Ahmed Khalil
- Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Institute of Diet and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ahmed Olatunde
- Department of Biochemistry, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria
| | - Ahood Khalid
- Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Institute of Diet and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Fahad A Alhumaydhi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah S M Aljohani
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Md Sahab Uddin
- Department of Pharmacy, Southeast University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.,Pharmakon Neuroscience Research Network, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mojtaba Heydari
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mars Khayrullin
- K.G. Razumovsky Moscow State University of Technologies and Management (the First Cossack University), Moscow, Russian Federation.,Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation.,A. M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Mohammad Ali Shariati
- K.G. Razumovsky Moscow State University of Technologies and Management (the First Cossack University), Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Adeyemi Oladapo Aremu
- Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Indigenous Knowledge Systems Centre, North-West University, Mahikeng, North West Province, South Africa
| | - Ahmed Alafnan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kannan R R Rengasamy
- Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Vietnam.,Faculty of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Vietnam
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Pang Q, Zhang W, Li C, Li H, Zhang Y, Li L, Zang C, Yao X, Zhang D, Yu Y. Antidementia effects, metabolic profiles and pharmacokinetics of GJ-4, a crocin-rich botanical candidate from Gardeniae fructus. Food Funct 2020; 11:8825-8836. [PMID: 32966490 DOI: 10.1039/d0fo01678k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Crocins, a series of hydrophilic carotenoids that are either mono- or di-glycosyl polyene esters of crocetin extracted from dried saffron stigma or fruits of gardenia, are attracting much attention due to their wide range of pharmacological effects. In our previous study, GJ-4, a mixture of crocin analogues, was obtained and derived from gardenia fruits. Mainly 18 crocin analogues were identified from GJ-4 and found to exhibit neuroprotective effects in in vitro and in vivo models. In this present study, we continue to investigate the therapeutic effects of GJ-4 on learning and memory impairments in a 2VO-induced VaD model, and the potential mechanism. In addition, the metabolic profiles and pharmacokinetic properties of GJ-4 were determined using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry after single and multiple oral doses. All these findings presented here will serve as a solid basis to develop GJ-4 as a new therapeutic agent for dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Pang
- Institute of TCM & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510623, People's Republic of China
| | - Weiyang Zhang
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenyang Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen 518060, People' Republic China
| | - Haibo Li
- Kanion Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, State Key Laboratory of New-tech for Chinese Medicine Pharamaceutical Process, Lianyungang 222001, People' Republic China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Institute of TCM & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510623, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Li
- Institute of TCM & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510623, People's Republic of China
| | - Caixia Zang
- Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinsheng Yao
- Institute of TCM & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510623, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Yu
- Institute of TCM & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510623, People's Republic of China
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Krishnaswamy VKD, Alugoju P, Periyasamy L. Effect of short-term oral supplementation of crocin on age-related oxidative stress, cholinergic, and mitochondrial dysfunction in rat cerebral cortex. Life Sci 2020; 263:118545. [PMID: 33038382 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Aging is associated with oxidative stress and altered cholinergic and mitochondrial function. Crocin is a carotenoid antioxidant that quenches free radicals and protects cells and tissues from oxidation in biological systems. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of oral supplementation of Crocin on age-associated oxidative stress, cholinergic, and mitochondrial function in rat cerebral cortex. MAIN METHODS The middle-aged (15 months old) rats were segregated into three groups (n = 6): Control (ad-libitum fed +0.9% saline as vehicle), Cro 50 (ad-libitum fed + crocin 50 mg/kg/day), Cro 150 (ad-libitum fed + crocin 150 mg/kg/day). The experiment was scheduled for 45 days. The serum and brain parameters were estimated after euthanasia. KEY FINDINGS Crocin supplementation of Cro 50 and Cro 150 displayed a relative decline in body weight gain during the experimental period and significantly reduced age-associated serum triglyceride level over control. In rat cerebral cortex, age-associated macromolecular damage, decline in endogenous antioxidants and an increase in intracellular calcium concentration were significantly reversed due to oral supplementation of Crocin. Cro 150 significantly improved acetylcholine content as a consequence of acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Further, remarkable mitochondrial function was observed in Cro 150 over the control group as determined by citrate synthase and cytochrome C oxidase enzyme activities. SIGNIFICANCE Oral supplementation of Crocin significantly reversed age-associated oxidative stress and neuroinflammatory markers. Meanwhile, Cro 150 remarkably improved cholinergic and mitochondrial function over the control group and facilitated further delay in the aging process due to enhanced cognitive effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- V K D Krishnaswamy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pondicherry University, India
| | - Phaniendra Alugoju
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pondicherry University, India
| | - Latha Periyasamy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pondicherry University, India.
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48
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Bian Y, Zhao C, Lee SMY. Neuroprotective Potency of Saffron Against Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Neurodegenerative Diseases, and Other Brain Disorders: From Bench to Bedside. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:579052. [PMID: 33117172 PMCID: PMC7573929 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.579052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing morbidity rates of brain disorders and conditions such as anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease have become a severe problem in recent years. Although researchers have spent considerable time studying these diseases and reported many positive outcomes, there still are limited drugs available for their treatment. As a common traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), saffron was employed to treat depression and some other inflammatory diseases in ancient China due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidepressant properties. In modern times, saffron and its constituents have been utilized, alone and in TCM formulas, to treat neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we mainly focus on recent clinical and preclinical trials of brain disorders in which saffron was applied, and summarize the neuroprotective properties of saffron and its constituents from chemical, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacological perspectives. We discuss the properties of saffron and its constituents, as well as their applications for treating brain disorders; we hope that this review will serve as a comprehensive reference for studies aimed at developing therapeutic drugs based on saffron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqi Bian
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Chen Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Simon Ming-Yuen Lee
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
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49
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Rezaei F, Saebipour MR, Ghaemi K, Hassanzadeh-Taheri MM, Foadoddini M, Hosseini M. Intra-cerebroventricular Administration of Crocin Attenuates Sleep Deprivation-induced Hyperalgesia in Rats. Basic Clin Neurosci 2020; 11:261-267. [PMID: 32963719 PMCID: PMC7502193 DOI: 10.32598/bcn.11.2.144.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2018] [Revised: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sleep deprivation can cause hyperalgesia and interfere with analgesic treatments. The aim of the present study was to establish an obligatory sleep-abstinence model and also evaluate the effects of Intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of crocin on pain perception in Wistar rats. Methods In this experimental study, 35 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=7). The intra-ventricular cannulation was done for all rats before sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation was performed by placing animals on a chamber equipped with an automatic animated conveyor (5 s with an interval of 3 min) for 72 h. Subsequently, the sleep-deprived animals received ICV injection of saline (MOD), Morphine 10 μg (MOR), Crocin 10 ug (Cr10), and Crocin40 μg (Cr40) using a microsyringe. Besides, a non-sleep-deprived group was allocated as a Control Group (NC) and only received an ICV injection of saline. Fifteen minutes after the ICV injections, pain perception was evaluated by the hot plate test (54±0.4°C). Results Compared with the NC group, latency significantly decreased in the MOD group (6.28±0.48 vs. 4.28± 0.48, P<0.0001). In comparison with the MOD group, both morphine (8.42±1.53) and crocin (7.60±1.45 for Cr10 and 8.14±0.89 for Cr40) could significantly increase latency in the sleep-deprived animals (P<0.0001). There was no statistically significant difference between the Cr10 and Cr40 (P=0.42), Cr10, and MOR (P=0.059) and Cr40 with MOR (P=0.86) groups. Conclusion Our results indicated that crocin could attenuate hyperalgesia induced by sleep deprivation in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faezeh Rezaei
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Saebipour
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Kazem Ghaemi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Mohammad Mehdi Hassanzadeh-Taheri
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Mohsen Foadoddini
- Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Mehran Hosseini
- Department of Anatomy, Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
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50
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Orio L, Alen F, Ballesta A, Martin R, Gomez de Heras R. Antianhedonic and Antidepressant Effects of Affron ®, a Standardized Saffron ( Crocus Sativus L.) Extract. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25143207. [PMID: 32679643 PMCID: PMC7397008 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25143207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety and depression have high prevalence in the general population, affecting millions of people worldwide, but there is still a need for effective and safe treatments. Nutritional supplements have recently received a lot of attention, particularly saffron. Thus, several pre-clinical studies support a beneficial role for bioactive compounds, such as saffron, in anxiety and depression. Here we used an animal model of depression based on social isolation to assess the effects of affron®, a standardized saffron extract containing ≥3.5% of total bioactive compounds safranal and crocin isomers. Affron® was administered both through the oral and the intraperitoneal routes, and several tasks related to anxiety and depression, such as the elevated plus maze, the forced swimming test or the sucrose preference test, were assessed. These tasks model key features of depressive states and anxious states relating to fear, behavioral despair or anhedonia, the lack of motivation and/or pleasure from everyday activities, respectively. Animals receiving oral affron® displayed behaviors congruent with improvements in their anxious/depressive state, showing the enhanced consumption of a sweet solution, as well as an increase in certain escape responses in the forced swimming test. Our data support a beneficial role for oral saffron in anxious/depressive states.
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